E Minor Chord on Guitar — 12 Shapes to Play It
E Minor is a minor triad — darker than its major counterpart, built from E, G, B (root, minor 3rd, perfect 5th). Computed live for this exact root, Fretprism finds 12 playable shapes across the neck, each checked for a real, comfortable fingering rather than just mathematically correct notes.
E Minor Chord Notes
| Role | Note | Interval |
|---|---|---|
| Root | E | Root |
| 3rd | G | Minor 3rd |
| 5th | B | Perfect 5th |
E Minor on the Guitar Fretboard
E Minor can be played in 12 real positions across the neck — the same three notes, voiced on a different set of adjacent strings each time. Use the shape below to see every one, each already checked for a real, comfortable fingering.
- Strings A-G · Second inversion
- Frets 0–2
How to practice this chord
- Play the E Minor shapes below across the neck — the same chord, in different positions, always built from E, G, B.
- Listen for how the minor sound holds up as you move it: the notes are identical in every shape, only the voicing (which note is on top or in the bass) changes.
- Once one shape feels comfortable, move to the next — building the same chord in multiple positions is what lets you play it wherever your hand already is on the neck.
E Minor FAQ
E Minor (Em) is made up of E, G, B.
A minor triad stacks a minor 3rd then a major 3rd above the root — the same shape as major with the 3rd flattened a semitone, giving it a darker sound.
Fretprism finds 12 playable shapes for E Minor in standard tuning, each checked for a real, comfortable fingering rather than just mathematically correct notes.